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Influenced by Travel { 4 }

Longhair Tribe

Longsheng County, Guangxi, China

When you are in Guilin I highly recommend a trip out to the Longji Mountain to see the famous Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terrace & the women of the Yao minority. There are several cozy places to stay the night & even french fries to my son’s delight. It is very easy to book a trip out to the rice terraces or if you are feeling adventurous you can make your own way there by getting a local bus.

I have visited and stayed within the mountain village Ping’An many times over. It stands to be one of my favorite get away places. The air is so fresh up in these mountains, especially after living in the city nearly two hours away.

There are several rice terraces to be found in China. However, Longji was not only the closest to me but is known as the most amazing. It is a vast 60 some square kilometers of scrolling layers of rice, peppers & corn. It was built throughout several different dynasties leaving historic pieces throughout the villages and paths around the terrace.

Amazing and beautiful. China is said to have 55 minority groups! In the Guangxi providence, there are several different minorities. These woman belong to the Hong Yao Longhair ethnic group, Red Yao Tribe. These ladies were so nice offering to take down their hair for us, for a small fee (40 RMB). The ladies of this tribe only cut their hair one time in their life when they are 16 before they start the search for a husband. A few ways for these girls to land a good husband. 1.) Have a loud enough voice to call over the field. 2.) Small hands for needlework and big feet for hiking around the mountainside. 3.) and my favorite is to have a big luscious backside. Of course, it is not for something to hold onto but rather biological instinct kicking in. They believe a big butt shows that you will be more likely to have children.

The Longhair women have even made their way into the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds first long hair village. Collecting all of their hair loose hair in bundles adding to their already long long locks. They twist and twirl their hair until it is laying upon their heads in a fancy updo. I feel my neck stiffen as I think of have such a mass of hair on my head. In choppy Mandarin and hand gestures, “Is it heavy?” Smiling, she said you get used to it. She may just have a very valid point.

Their hair is nearly as long as their height. I could not imagine my hair ever being long enough where I would have to wonder if I was sitting on it. Up until around 1987, their hair was only seen by their husband and children because it was considered sacred. Since they have abandoned that tradition the Longhair women and the Longsheng rice terraces have become more of a tourist destination.